See Gilroy Mexican family history
Gilroyans can see the history of Mexicans in the area through displays featuring a magazine that celebrated Mexican family life in Gilroy. Photographs and text in Spanish and English from the magazine called El Excentrico are being displayed through the month of April at the Gilroy Historical Society (195 Fifth St.) and at the old Gilroy Hotel (7365 Monterey Rd.) and the Gilroy Library (350 W. Sixth St.).
The El Excentrico Magazine Photography Exhibit is made up of 30 framed photograph collections with various themes such as women entrepreneurs, the American GI Forum veterans group, Chicanos in Vietnam, The Photographers, sports legends, music, Cesar Chavez, the farmworker movement and the Chicano movement, according to Dr. Ramon Martinez, El Excentrico Magazine project director.
El Excéntrico: Magazine Social Fotográfico Latino Americano was published in San José from 1949 until 1981 in more than 600 bilingual editions. The magazine collection is the most complete historical record of “La Colonia Mexicana” which ranged from Watsonville and Gilroy in the south to Redwood City and Union City in the north.
Three important Gilroy organizations: CARAS, Gilroy Historical Society, and Gilroy Library, are collaborating during the month of April to promote cultural and historical awareness of Gilroy’s Mexican family history
Have Coffee with a Cop
Come hang with members of California Highway Patrol’s Hollister-Gilroy Area office without being handcuffed in the back of a car.
Coffee with a Cop provides a progressive way for law enforcement officers to meet with community members in a neutral space to discuss community issues, have coffee and build relationships.
The event begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 26 at Old City Hall Restaurant in Gilroy.
The majority of contacts law enforcement has with the public happen during emergencies or emotional situations, according to CHP officer Chris Miceli. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.
“We hope community members will welcome the opportunity to ask questions, bring concerns forward, or simply get to know our officers,” said Captain Spencer Boyce.
Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are being held across the country as local police departments strive to make lasting connections with the communities they serve.
